Attack victim out of coma ‘won’t ever come home’

Ben Fishwick

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A MAN who was brutally attacked outside a flat in Gosport has shown limited signs of improvement after coming out of a coma.

Andrew Toseland suffered serious head injuries in the attack at Garland Court, in Forton Road, Gosport, in August this year.

The 49-year-old cannot talk but has been able to sit up with assistance and physiotherapists have been teaching him to pick up items.

His mother, Nina, 78, said: ‘He seems to be improving slightly but I don’t think there’s going to be any major improvement.

‘He’s sitting up and when I went over last time, he smiled at the physiotherapist. I think he knows her because she’s in there every day. When she left she said “give me a wave Andy” and he lifted his arm up.’

Even though Mr Toseland is no longer in a coma, Mrs Toseland is apprehensive about any further progress.

She said: ‘They don’t think there will be a great deal of improvement but every little bit helps. There’s a conference on Monday we’re going over to, to sort things out to see what’s going to happen.

‘He won’t ever come home.

‘All the time they’re getting improvement they’ll keep him in hospital.’

If there is no further improvement Mr Toseland may have to move into a home, said Mrs Toseland.

‘I’m a bit apprehensive. He’s had such good treatment in the hospital,’ she said.

Three Gosport teenagers have been charged over the attack on Mr Toseland.

Samuel Armstrong, 18, Brandon Fisher, 18, and a 16-year-old boy who cannot be named for legal reasons, have all been charged with causing grievous bodily harm with intent. Armstrong has been remanded in custody to appear at Winchester Crown Court on December 3.

The other two teenagers will appear at Fareham Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday.

A 22-year-old woman from Gosport was also arrested on suspicion of assisting an offender and perverting the course of justice, but she was released with no further action.

Another four men aged 20, 21, 25 and 27, all from Gosport, were arrested in connection with this incident, but were also released with no further action.